Organic Ground Nutmeg (Certified Fairtrade)

Our organic ground nutmeg is imported in small batches from a fairtrade certified exporter in Sri Lanka. Nutmeg is the seed of the evergreen tree, Myristica fragrans. The inner seed is enveloped by a bright red aril known by spice traders as mace. If you stroll past a nutmeg tree on a sunny beach, you may spot the yellow, peach-like fruits drooping high in the branches. When the fruits are ripe, they split open revealing the crimson mace aril, signaling the spices are ready for harvest and curing.

The tree is native to the Moluccas, or Spice Islands, of Indonesia and is principally cultivated there and in the West Indies. The spice nutmeg has a distinctive pungent fragrance and a warm slightly sweet taste; it is used to flavour many kinds of baked goods, confections, puddings, potatoes, meats, sausages, sauces, vegetables, and such beverages as eggnog. The fleshy arils surrounding the nutmeg seed are the source of the spice mace.

Nutmeg and mace are frequently mentioned in the oldest scriptures of Hinduism in India, the Vedas, composed between 1500 and 1000 BCE. Nutmeg and mace's arrival in China was much later than in India; the first reference of what could have been nutmeg does not appear until the 3rd century CE in Ji Han's Nanfang Caomu Zhuang (Record of Southern Plants and Trees). In it, he mentions a fragrant spice that comes from a tree whose flowers are colored like a lotus. Nutmeg is not commonly mentioned in the Chinese literature until the 8th century when it is used to treat diarrhea, dysentery, abdominal pain and bloating, reduced appetite, and indigestion.

Nutmeg and mace were largely unknown to the West until the 5h or 6th century CE. Pliny was the first to write about a tree he called comacum, which had a fragrant nut, but it is not certain if he was really referring to nutmeg. The 1st-century CE Greek physician Dioscorides also vaguely refers to a red bark of unknown origin called macir. The first clear references to nutmeg and mace are not found until the Byzantine medical texts of the 6th century, which refer to a red bark, macis (mace), and a musky nut, nux muscata (nutmeg).

Nutmeg vs. Mace?

• The Myristica fragrans tree offers more than just one aromatic spice. Before the nutmeg seed is ready for culinary use, it has a red-orange aril (or seed covering) encasing it. This is removed, pressed flat, dried, and becomes mace—a spice similar in flavor to nutmeg but usually described as being more pungent and spicier, like cinnamon or black pepper. Like nutmeg, it can be bought whole or ground.
• Mace is not as commonly used or as easy to find as nutmeg, but if you happen to have it, you can swap it out for nutmeg in most recipes, just use half the amount called for in the recipe, as mace is typically stronger in flavor.

What does Fairtrade certification mean?

• Fairtrade products are far more than just fair prices, they create sustainable impact in three interconnected areas: economic, social, and environmental. These are known as the three pillars of sustainability:
• Economic: Fairtrade sets economic Standards for farmers and workers to benefit from income security and financial independence. These include the Fairtrade Minimum Price for most commodities, which aims to provide producers with a safety net against falling prices, along with the Fairtrade Premium that provides producers with additional money to invest as they choose. Fairtrade also emphasizes long-term partnerships that help yield sustainable and decent livelihoods.
• Environmental: Environmental criteria emphasize ecologically and agriculturally sound practices, including responsible water and waste management, preserving biodiversity and soil fertility, minimal use of pesticides, and the prohibition of the use of GMOs. Organic production is promoted and rewarded by higher Fairtrade Minimum Prices for organically grown products.
• Social: Social criteria for small-scale producers include requirements on democratic self-organization, participatory decision-making, transparency, and non-discrimination. For hired labour, our Standards require non-discriminatory employment practices, fair pay, freedom of association, and safeguards for worker health and safety. Forced labour and child labour are prohibited under the Fairtrade Standards.

Who is "Joint Agri Product Ceylon" (JAPC)?

• JACP is a medium scale Fairtrade exporter in Sri Lanka that acts as a link between the country's small-scale producers and Western markets. For over thirty years, JAPC has built up a solid network of more than 3,500 producer families throughout the country. A supply chain based on respect and fairness that provides the basis for their diversified production of spices and teas, coconut products and fruits.
• These rural communities have never stopped practicing traditional organic farming. It's a way of life for these farmers, who follow integrated methods such as mixed farming, agroforestry, biodynamic agriculture and biological pest control. In this way, sustainable cash crops, tropical fruits, shade trees for timber, pest-repellent crops, medicinal herbs and home gardens can all be grown side by side on the same plot.
• JAPC rightly considers that these thousands of families are the real wealth of their company. They therefore maintain fair relations with these growers, guaranteeing them long-term purchase of their crops at above-market prices.
• The recipient of numerous awards, JAPC is recognized in its country as a model value-added organic exporter, both for the very high quality of its products and for its commitment to communities. JAPC also holds the most demanding certifications in organic, biodynamic and regenerative agriculture, food safety and quality, and fairtrade.